1. Topic 9  Is teaching a profession? What are the skills required to be an effective teacher?  Theory of a profession, teaching and learning from Islamic perspectives and roles of muslim teacher.

2. Theory of a Profession By : Nor Syazani Izzati bt Foozi

3. Defining Profession  Offering a unique, definite, and essential social service.  A job that needs a high level of education and training. For teaching, this service is the facilitation of learning, although how it is accomplished and what teachers believe needs to be learned may vary based on the beliefs, needs, and practices of each community and each individual.

4. The Teaching Profession  Teaching, systematic presentation of facts, ideas, skills, and techniques to students.  Although human beings have survived and evolved as a species partly because of a capacity to share knowledge, teaching as a profession did not emerge until relatively recently.

5.  Until the late-20th century, most people believed that the teaching profession required mostly human-caring skills rather than a high degree of instructional expertise.  Because of this perception, teachers usually received little formal preparation before entering the classroom.  This perception changed in the, as schools began placing greater value on formal preparation for teachers. For example, some schools offered higher salaries to teachers with degrees in education Microsoft ® Encarta ® Reference Library 2005. © 1993- 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

6. Is Teaching Fully Professional?  1956 – Myron Lieberman wrote a book entitled ‘Education as a Profession’.  He argued that teaching is not yet a full profession but that it needs to be.  Primary msg for his book   Teachers themselves need to understand the complexities involved in making teaching into a profession so that they can take action from a point of understanding rather than a point of cynical defeatism.

7. Why Teaching Is Not Fully Professional? 1.Unrealistic Public Perception about Education 3. The Controls: Professional Rhetoric, Policy and Reform Directions. 2.Addressing Functional Agreements about Purpose of Education

8. Unrealistic Public Perception about Education  Public : Play a critical role in determining the vocational status of teachers within a community.  Teachers not regarded as highly as lawyers or doctors. The job doesn’t require as much training as other professions.  Teachers are paid far less.  The job of teaching is intertwined with the expertise of parents.

9. Addressing Functional Agreements about Purpose of Education  Public is unclear about what education can accomplish and educators themselves often in disagreements about its functional purposes.  Holistic & humanistic educators belief in ‘worth and dignity of each human being’.  Traditional educators belief in ‘pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence and nurture of democratic principles’.

10. The Controls: Professional Rhetoric, Policy and Reform Directions  For teaching to become fully respected profession, the teachers themselves must assume greater responsibility for the profession.  Currently, state school board & administrators are controlling the rhetoric, policy and reform direction within education.  Strongly influenced by corporate values.

11. Abu Daud narrates the following hadith on the authority of Abu Hurayra: "Whoever is asked about something he knows, and conceals it, shall be made by Allah to wear a bridle of fire on the Day of Arising."

12. Conclusion  Making teaching into more solid and respected profession involves much more than raising teaching salaries.  It involves the attitudes, past and present, of what it means to educate. www.pathsoflearning.net/library/profession

13. People of Courage www.caglecartoons.com

14. Skills to be an effective Teacher By: Nurul Farihan binti Arefin

15. 1. Learn your students' names.  This cannot be overemphasized.  You will be able to control your class better and gain more respect if you learn the students' names early on.  If you are one who has a poor memory for names, have all the students hold up name cards and take a picture of them on the first day of class.  On the second class, impress them by showing them you know all their names.

16. 2. Be overly prepared.  If you don't have a clear lesson-plan down on paper, then make sure you have a mental one.  You should know about how long each activity will take and have an additional activity prepared in case you have extra time.

17. 3. Be prepared to make changes to or scrap your lesson plan.  If the lesson you have prepared just isn't working, don't be afraid to scrap it or modify it.  Be sensitive to the students--don't forge ahead with something that is bound for disaster.

18. 4. Don't assume (falsely) that the class textbook will work.  Some activities in textbooks fall apart completely in real classroom usage.  It is hard to believe that some of them have actually been piloted.  Many activities must be modified to make them work, and some have to be scrapped completely.

19. 5. Motivate your students with variety.  By giving a variety of interesting topics and activities, students will be more motivated and interested, and they are likely to practice more.  With more on-task time they will improve more rapidly.

20. 6. Don't leave the learners in the dark.  Explain exactly what they are expected to learn in a particular lesson.  Make sure that students know what they are doing and why.  The lessons should be transparent to the students, with a clear organization.

21. 7. Allow time for free communication  For speaking this would mean allowing time for free conversation, for writing doing free writing, for reading allowing time for extensive pleasure reading, and for listening, listening for entertainment sake.

22. 8. Don't have pets.  This is extremely hard to avoid, especially when a student is more outgoing or interesting than others.  Nevertheless, try to call on and attend to students as equally as you can.

23. 9. Speak up, but don't break anyone's eardrum.  If the students can't hear you, you are wasting your breath.  Not as bad, but still annoying is the teacher who thinks s/he must speak louder to be comprehended.  Research has already proven this to be false.

24. 10. Don't talk too much.  Depending on the subject, you should be talking from about 5% to 30% of the lesson.  For speaking or writing, more than 10-15% would probably be too much.  Most lessons should be student- centered, not teacher-centered.

25. 11. Don't be a psychiatrist.  Shy, introverted students are not going to change their personalities overnight in order to learn English.  Give these students opportunities to talk in small groups, but don't expect them to shout out answers in front of the whole class.

26. 12. Don't lose your cool.  If you do, you will lose hard-won respect.  Even if you have to go so far as to leave the classroom, do it in a controlled manner, explaining to the class or student why you are unhappy with them.

27. 13. Be fair and realistic in testing.  Teach first and then test; don't test things that haven't been taught.  Also, remember that the main purpose of language is communication.  E.g. When marking a dictation portion of a listening test, "What [ ] your name?" response should get nearly full points because the listener has demonstrated full comprehension.

28. 14. Keep in shape.  Teachers don't have to become jaded with teaching.  Get into it. Look at new course books and teacher training books to get new ideas.  Share your ideas with colleagues. Go to conferences.

29. 15. Be reflective.  Think about your own teaching.  After each lesson is over take some time to reflect.  Was the lesson effective?  What were the good and bad points?  How could it be improved?

30. An effective alternative education teacher must has :  Knowledge of student learning styles, relational teaching, and counseling;  Skills in student behavior management;  Skills in adapting and modifying the regular school curriculum;  Skills in the teaching of reading and written language  Communication skills.

31. TEACHING & LEARNING FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES By : Nordiana Zulkipeli

32. TEACHING FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES

33. Allah SWT reminds us in the Holy Qur'an: "It is He Who has sent amongst the Unlettered an apostle from amongst themselves to rehearse to them His Signs, to sanctify them, and to instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom, -- although they had been, before, in manifest error;--...“ (Q. 12: 2)

34.  In the ayah "It is He (Allah) Who has sent....." Allah SWT gives us an indication of what He expects of a Prophet as the Teacher of mankind: not only must a teacher "instruct...in Scripture and Wisdom", but to "rehearse to them His Signs and sanctify them".  In other words, the teacher must be the LIVING EXAMPLE of his subject-matter. He/She must be committed to and BELIEVE in what he/she teaches.

35.  Imam Al-Ghazzali, one of the most outstanding Muslim scholars and teachers of all time, regards the first duty of a teacher to accept the child unconditionally as his own. He quotes the saying of our Nabi Muhammad SAWS: "I am to you like a father who desires to save his child from the fires of hell, which is more important than any of the efforts of parents to save their children from the fires of earth."

36.  From this statement we can further see that a teacher's concern is not only to achieve immediate and short-term success, such as good examination results, but to inculcate values which are formative, more permanent and would help his student to meet Allah SWT.  Al-Ghazzali explains that the teacher and child are travelers journeying to Allah, and starting from this world, they follow the path to Allah. Education is a journey to ALLAH SWT.

37.  The teacher should adjust his teaching to the level of intelligence and needs of the child. This is a basic principle of modern education.  Our Nabi Muhammad SAWS said: "No one ever relates a tradition to a people which is beyond their minds to understand without being the cause of perplexity to some of them."  In another Hadith he said: "We prophets have been commanded to give every man his rightful place and to communicate with everyone according to his own ability to understand."

38.  According to Islamic perspectives about teaching, it must includes teaching a manner that befits his dignity, authority and honour that the children bestow on him.  Allah SWT warns us to "invite to all that is good." It is not WHAT we teach our children that will influence them, but HOW we teach it.  As parents and teachers, are the mirrors to our children. The dedicated teacher, according to Imam Al-Ghazzali, is like the wick of a lamp which burns itself out in giving light for others.

39. LEARNING FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES

40.  Like teaching, learning is part of a Muslim's 'ibadah (his worship). The first duty as students is to develop such noble qualities as truthfulness, sincerity, piety and humility.  This Imam Ghazzali calls "the adornment and beautification of the inner self". With a "beautiful inner self", with a pure heart, with noble intentions, we approach our learning.  Students must constantly be aware of WHY they seek education: not just to get a good job or to be respected by friends.

41.  These are important goals, but they form part of the main reason, which is to serve Allah through His creation, and ultimately to move closer to Allah SWT. With this in mind, the studies at school or university will become so much more meaningful.  In other words, students can see where they are heading for.

42.  Like the teacher, students must at all times be humble. We are NOT the owners, but merely the trustees of the knowledge we gain from Allah.  As long as we are proud and arrogant, and as long as we are filled with self-glory, we do not hear or see anything else. Even the teacher's guidance means nothing to us: we did not learn true knowledge, for: "Knowledge humbleth the haughty youth, As the flood washeth away the hill."

43.  It is related by Al-Sha'bi that one day when Zayd ibn- Thabit was leaving a janaaza at which he officiated, his mule was brought to him and as he was about to mount it, Ibn-'Abbas (the cousin of the Prophet) rushed and held the stirrup for him. Zayd was so taken aback by this honour that he said: "O, no, don't bother yourself, o Cousin of the Prophet of Allah! Ibn 'Abbas replied: This is how we are taught to treat the learned and the illustrious." Zayd bent over and kissed Ibn 'Abbas's hand, saying: "This is how we are taught to honour the household of our Prophet."

44.  Students must : get up in the classroom and be heard contribute to the organisation of the school through student councils and other such bodies. respect the authority and dignity of the teacher as representative of our parents.

45.  Sayiddina 'Ali went so far as to say: "Among the obligations which you owe the teacher are: not to pester him with too many questions nor expect him to reply to all your inquiries...Furthermore, do not seek to trap him; whenever he commits a mistake, be ready to excuse him. In obedience to Allah, it is your duty to respect and honour him as long as he himself continues to obey Allah. Remain standing in his presence and whenever he needs something, be the first to wait on him."

46.  A good student is not just satisfied with what he learns from his teacher, but also what he gains through his own research. Allah SWT enjoins him to persevere in his observation and research: "He Who created the seven heavens one above another: no want of proportion wilt thou see in the creation of Allah Most Gracious. So turn thy vision again: seest thou any flaw ? Again turn thy vision a second time: thy vision will come back to thee dull and discomfited, in a state worn out." (Q. 17: 3 -4)

47.  In this ayah Allah SWT asks us to observe and study creation (plants, animals, natural phenomena, and so on, over and over again and as closely as our powers will allow.  Allah SWT rewarded the Muslim Ummah with such brilliant scholars as Al-Ghazzali (Philosophy and education), Ibn Sina (Medicine), Zakariya Razi (Chemistry), Al-Jahiz (Biology), Ibn Khaldoun (History), I bn Rushd (Theology), and Ibn Arabi (Literature and Philosophy).

48.  These scholars had one ambition which is to serve Allah and perpetuate His Deen, not merely through preaching, but through building a body of knowledge of Allah's creation and prove themselves worthy of the honour with which Allah has created them as the best of creation.  Like these great scholars of the 11th, 12th and 13th century, we also have the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Nabi Muhammad SAW.

49.  If we dedicate ourselves to the task of studying Allah's creation with a view to serving Him; if our search for Truth is accompanied by a search for Taqwa (piety); if our knowledge becomes our tools rather than our adornment, then, Insya-Allah, Allah will open our minds and our hearts to His Secrets.

50. Lastly… May Allah SWT in His Infinite Mercy, place teachers among us who are fired with Taqwa; who accept our children as their own without preconditions; who care for and selflessly lead our children on the Straight Path. May Allah SWT endow our students with an intimate knowledge of themselves and help them to gain fulfillment according to their abilities. O Allah, in these trying times, let us, through education, become a creative and vibrant Ummah. Help us to regain our self-respect and assert our identity in this land. Ameen.

51. Principles of Learning and Teaching By: Intan Mariati Abdul Manaf

52. Objectives  to clarify the intention of each Principle and its underlying components  drawn from the actual experience of teachers, gleaned from interviews and reports, and from anecdotal notes from consultants in different key learning areas.

53. 1. The learning environment is supportive and productive  1.1 The teacher builds positive relationships through knowing and valuing each student.  1.2 The teacher promotes a culture of value and respect for individuals and their communities.

54.  1.3 Teaching strategies promote students' self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their learning  1.4 Each student experiences success through structured support, the valuing of effort, and recognition of their work.

55. 2. The learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self motivation.  2.1 The teacher encourages and supports students to take responsibility for their learning.  2.2 The teacher uses strategies that build skills required for productive collaboration.

56. 3. Students' needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program  3.1 Teaching strategies are flexible and responsive to the values, needs and interests of individual students.  3.2 The teacher utilises a range of teaching strategies that support different ways of thinking and learning.

57.  3.3 The teacher builds on students' prior experiences, knowledge and skills  3.4 The teacher capitalises on students' experience of a technology rich world

58. 4. Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application  4.1 Teaching sequences promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections between ideas.  4.2 The teacher promotes substantive discussion of ideas.  4.3 The teacher emphasises the quality of learning with high expectations of achievement.

59.  4.4 The teacher uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflect.  4.5 The teacher uses strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills.  4.6 The teacher uses strategies to foster imagination and creativity

60. 5. Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning  5.1 Assessment practices reflect the full range of learning program objectives.  5.2 The teacher ensures that students receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning.  5.3 The teacher makes assessment criteria explicit.

61.  5.4. Assessment practices encourage reflection and self assessment.  5.5 The teacher uses evidence from assessment to inform planning and teaching.

62. 6. Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom  6.1 Students engage with contemporary knowledge and practice.  6.2 The teacher plans for students to interact with local and broader communities.  6.3 The teacher uses technologies in ways that reflect professional and community practices

63. Educating Muslim Children

64.  Islamic education, one which endorses good morals, helps children maintain their cultural identity, including their mother tongue language and religious practice, is a major concern for many Muslim parents. (Donohoue Clyne,2000; Hartley & Mass, 1987).

65. The Islamic view of education: Towards developing an Islamic curriculum  Every action a Muslim performs, including seeking an education, is seen as an act of worship.  The immense incentive to learn is evident throughout the Holy Qur'an, emphasising that God's commands can never be fully understood without knowledge and education. The Holy Qur'an states And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say 'We believe in the Book, the whole of it is from our Lord' and none will grasp the message except men of understanding (sura 3, verse 7).

66.  In addition to the injunctions addressed in the Holy Qur'an, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h)2 also emphasised the importance of knowledge when he stated: He who leaves his home in search of knowledge walks in the path of God.

67.  If education in general is concerned with the development of the full human life, then Islamic education is concerned with the full Islamic life, based on iman, (faith), aqidah (belief) and tawhid (unity of God) and guided by the teachings from the Holy Qur'an, the Sunnah (the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h) and Sharia (Islamic law).

68.  For Muslims, education without an awareness of Allah (God) is "meaningless" (Mabud, 1992:90) and "a contradiction in terms for a Muslim" (Hulmes,1989:39).  All learning must be approached with the intention of developing taqwa, "a highly developed and profound awareness of Allah" (Bhabha, 1997:3).

69.  Islam must be cultivated in the minds and souls of learners, Muslim children need to be immersed in an environment where they are made to feel that their own norms are being respected "rather than becoming assimilated to Western norms" (Wielandt, 1993:53).

70. The establishment of an Islamic identity  Socialising and nurturing students in the Islamic faith and enhancing students' knowledge of the Islamic way of life, becomes imperative during the students' secondary school years.  Helping keep Muslim youth on the path of the Islamic ideal, is very important especially by teachers.

71.  Children are most strongly influenced by their friends and children of their own age. The more time they can spend in a protected Islamic environment, the stronger the chance that they will remain on the correct path.  The rest of Islamic education should be concerned with "developing in students an understanding of the purpose of creation for mankind and their specific role on earth" (Ashraf, 1988; Al-Beely, 1980).

72. References  Abdel-Halim, A. (1989) Meeting needs of Muslim students in the Australian education system,  Northmead, NSW  Abu Aali, S.A. (1980) Islamic Education: A means towards self actualization In Al- Alfendi, M.H &  Baloch, N.A (eds) Curriculum and Teacher Education, King Abdulaziz Univeristy, Jeddah,  Hodder and Stoughton  Akhtar, S. (1993) The Muslim parents’ handbook: What every Muslim parent should know, London,

73.  Al-Beely, U.A. (1980) The Islamic Concept of Educational Curricula In Al-Afendi, M.H & Baloch  (eds), Curriculum and Teacher Education, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Hodder and  Stoughton  Al-Afendi, M.H. (1980) Towards Islamic Curricula In Al-Alfendi, M.H & Baloch, N.A (eds)  Curriculum and Teacher Education, King Abdulaziz Univeristy, Jeddah, Hodder and  Stoughton  Al-Romi, N.H. (2000) Muslims as a minority in the United States International Journal of  Educational Research, 33, 631-638

74. PERSPECTIVES OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION  Is not to cram the pupils head with facts but to prepare them for a life of purity and sincerity.  The emphasis of Islamic education can then be said on value system.  A Muslim child must be exposed to an education that predominantly teaches values such as obedience, care, forgiveness, respect and truthfulness.

75.  Aim at the balanced growth of the total personality of man through the training of man’s spirit, intellect, his rational self, feelings and bodily senses.

76. Roles Of a Muslim Teacher  To facilitate and allow pupils to develop his/her sense of spirituality.  To build a positive relationship with Allah which becomes manifest in doing righteous deeds.  To put subjects in the centre of Islam.  A guide to lead pupils to the righteous path.

77.  To provide students with an understanding of their role and obligations not only to the Muslims who reside around the but also towards the non-muslims.  To produce a wholesome child who carries out his/her obligations as set out by the percept of Islam.  To educate a child by giving him or her the mannerisms and the etiquette that will serve the child and the community.

78.  To ultimately make the child understand the purpose of his/her life.  To produce the child with knowledge that will equip him/her to pursue both worldly gains and most importantly after life gains.

79. Characteristic of a good Muslim teacher  Love for children.  Love for the profession.  Health and vitality of the body.  Psychological health and emotional balance.  Neatness.  Cleanliness.

80.  Good appearance.  Eloquence and good pronunciation.  Intelligence and deep understanding.  Understand students and their needs.  Strong command of the subject.  Broad and deep reading and knowledge.  Punctuality and respect for time

81.  Being courteous with students and fellow teachers.  Socialization with the people and no isolation.  Knowledge and practice of Islam.  Sincerity.

82. CONCLUSION  Muslim teachers must have the moral values and professional knowledge and able to apply it to daily routines.